A New Life, A New Planeteer
by Mylinda Antoinette
Summary: One afternoon, Jennica White's normal life turns not so normal when Captain Planet appears and tells her the Planeteers need her as a temporary substitute for a pregnant Linka. Sorry if she's a MarySue, I don't intend it; she is based loosely on me.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

Hello. My name is Jennica White, and I once led a normal, everyday life, the way most other people in this world do. I went to school everyday, came home in the afternoon, got a full night's sleep, and didn't have a job to do. Well, I take that back. I was only partially normal. My best friend lived halfway across the country, I loved school, especially math, and I dressed and talked differently from the other kids. In fact, I never said a single cuss word in my entire life. But one day two months before I turned 16, my normal, somewhat common lifestyle suddenly became abnormal, and it was all thanks to a proposition from a rather unusual character.

This is my story.

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I have nothing to say except that Chapter 1 will be up in 1 week. Be on the lookout for it!


	2. Chapter 1: A New Beginning

Okay, here is the promised Chapter 1. Sorry about the delay... it was done, but FF staff had a problem with one of my stories and removed it so I wasn't 'privileged' to post for a week... so I'm posting it now, I'll finish chapters 2-4 on Thursday and Friday and get Chapter 2 posted on Saturday and work on the story all next week... but don't count on any work between 1:30 and 2:00 PST on weekdays, cause I'll be watching Season 3 of CL, okay?

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN CAPTAIN PLANET, THOUGH I DARN WELL WISH I DID! IF I OWNED IT, IT WOULD BE OUT ON DVD NOW!

Oh, and this first chapter is dedicated to Benchwarmer for her unfailing support of my stories, as well as for being such a great friend. YOU'RE THE BEST, GABBY!

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The whole thing started one normal day. I woke up at my usual time, 5:15 am, which happened to be not-so-usual. I showered, washed my hair, got dressed, ate breakfast, packed up, and at 6:25, my sister Abby and I headed out, our backpacks slung over our shoulders, to the bus stop.

Miss Cheryl picked us up right on time, at 6:35 in the morning. We went to school, arriving thirty minutes before the tardy bell, just like we did every day. When the tardy bell rang, I was in my Pre-AP Chemistry class, getting ready to start a fun lab about the electromagnetic spectrum. We followed standard lab procedures as we prepared for our lab for that week, just like we did for our lab every week.

After that, I headed off to Creative Writing, a new class offered at my school. I was part of the test group for it, but it was more or less a normal class. We sat down, my friends Liz and Lisa got into a group with me and we worked on our writing project for the week until the bell rang. Then it was off to AP World History, where we watched a video about the Black Plague and talked about the Middle Ages, just as we had done for the rest of the month.

My last period of the day was Journalism I. I wasn't really enthused about having to take that class, but it was a prerequisite for yearbook, which I desperately wanted to take. The yearbook advisor thought I was a great author and wanted me to be on the yearbook staff, so I was taking journalism to please her. Two weeks before, one of the articles I had written had been published in the school newspaper. Anyway, it was Wednesday, so we followed our usual Wednesday routine, turning in our 'Current Event' articles and working on our rough drafts.

It was after the bell rang to end the school day that everything changed. I ran out the door to where the school buses were. I was halfway between the door and my bus, number 47, when someone stepped in front of me, causing me to run right into them. But to my surprise, they didn't budge when I hit them. "Sorry," I started to say, shaking away the stars and looking up… only to see a blue person with green hair standing in front of me. There was no doubt in my mind when I saw him.

It was Captain Planet, my favorite childhood superhero.

"Jennica White?" he inquired, looking straight at me. I face faulted.

'Oh my God,' I thought to myself, 'Captain Planet knows my name!' "Yeah, that's my name," I replied out loud. "H-How do you know my name?"

"I'm assuming, then, that you know who I am," he continued.

"Know you? I am, like, your biggest fan! Oh my God… I can't believe I'm actually talking to you!" I squealed, nearly jumping up and down for joy.

"Anyway, I'm here because I have a business proposition for you. The Planeteers need help. Linka and Wheeler are married and Linka is expecting a baby in a few months and won't be able to go on missions for several months. We just need someone to take over the wind ring for a few months until she is ready to assume her duties again. Gaia and I have been watching you for a while, because we knew we'll soon need a new group of Planeteers when the others are ready to retire, and we already had our replacements picked out, and you were on the list of kids that we'd chosen. We want you to take heart when the time comes, but for now, we were wondering if you would consider taking over wind for Linka. Are you interested?" Cap asked me.

"Am I interested in working with my childhood heroes? Is this a question?" I asked incredulously. "Of course I'll do it! But you'll need to speak with my parents first, of course."

"Absolutely. I wouldn't take you without their permission!" he assured me. I smiled.

"Okay, Captain Planet," I began, but he cut me off.

"Please, call me Cap. That's what everyone else calls me."

"All right, Cap, but then you either call me Jenn or Jennie, because that's what everyone else calls _me_!" He laughed and I smiled bigger.

"All right, Jennie!"

"Now, Cap, I have a bus to catch. You wanna come? I could introduce you to my bus driver, Miss Cheryl!"

"All right," he agreed. As I stepped on the bus, Captain Planet behind me, the other kids gaped at me. They looked bewildered at the sight of the superhero.

"Good afternoon, Miss Cheryl," I greeted our bus driver, hugging her. She was really sweet, and my sister and I looked at her as a friend more than anything else. I stepped to the side. "Miss Cheryl, I'd like you to meet Captain Planet; Captain Planet, this is Miss Cheryl, my bus driver." They shook hands.

"It's nice to meet you," Miss Cheryl said. "Jennica here is a big fan of yours! Here, why don't you take the seat behind me so you can sit across from her?"

"That sounds fine- may I call you Cheryl?"

"You may," she replied. The girl sitting in the seat referred to by Miss Cheryl got up and moved quickly to another seat more towards the back. I slid into the seat next to my sister Abby, who was staring wide-eyed at Cap. Cap sat down in the seat. Once he had done so, it was time to go, so Miss Cheryl closed the doors and started to drive out of the bus loop. "Sorry the seats are so cramped! I wish there was a little more space in between the seats, but I guess there are some things that can't be helped," she apologized.

"That's all right," he replied cheerfully, "I don't mind!" The two of them continued to chat happily for the remainder of the trip to our bus stop, which was the fifth stop on the trip home and the second on the way to school. The kids on the bus had never been so well-behaved before. Only the occasional whisper broke the silence penetrated only by Cap and Miss Cheryl's conversation. Abby tapped my shoulder and I turned to look at her.

"What is he doing here?" she inquired. My sister was also a big fan of Captain Planet, but I seriously doubted she was as big a fan as me.

"You'll see when we get home, I promise," I replied.

The twenty minutes it took to reach our bus stop passed quickly. Cap, Abby, and I stood up. "Goodbye, Miss Cheryl! See you tomorrow!" Abby and I called as we exited the bus. We waited at the bottom for Cap. He bade Miss Cheryl goodbye before walking off the bus. We crossed the street and continued walking to the corner of our street. By the time we'd reached it, Miss Cheryl had already started up the bus and continued driving. As she passed us, Abby and I waved at her, following our daily tradition. Then we turned and continued walking until we reached our house. We knocked on the door before entering and then opened it. Mom was sitting at the computer as she usually did while waiting for us to arrive.

"Hello, girls!" she exclaimed, smiling warmly at us. I suddenly grew nervous. Mom wasn't too keen on us bringing home visitors without asking first.

"Um, Mom? There's someone I want you to meet," I finally stammered out. Mom looked wary.

"Who is it, Jenn?" I stepped forward and motioned for Cap to come in.

"Oh, just Captain Planet."

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Okay peoples, R&R please, next chapter will be up this Saturday if I get at least one review, preferably 2, but lucky for you, I know someone that I can persuade to comment on it... coughBenchwarmercough so it will likely be up this Saturday! CATCH YA PEOPLES LATER!


	3. Chapter 2: Can I Go?

Chapter 2: "Can I Go?"

Author's Note: I am FINALLY updating this story... I can't believe it... but updates will be even slower next semester due to my Creative Writing class being over and being forbidden to work on anything uncreative during the week unless I have NO homework. Anyway... enjoy what's here... I say that to the few people that actually come to this category...

Edit: I made a couple of changes to this chapter! I hope you like them!

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My mom talked with Captain Planet about the ramifications of becoming a Planeteer once he had explained why he was here. I had to admit, I was becoming excited about the possibility of going with him. And my mom sounded like she was convinced… but I knew my dad would be harder to convince. I started to think about how to convince him. 'I can stay for the remainder of the nine weeks, which is just two more weeks, and then continue my classes through correspondence. I'll get emails of all the kids in the class, and keep in touch with them, as well as emailing my teachers every day for my assignments. I'll come back every other weekend to take tests I've missed and- think about it this way- I'll have all the time I'm not on a mission to do my homework and to study! My grades will shoot through the roof! Plus you've been wanting me to be more responsible! Here's my chance to do that! Please, Dad, I promise, I won't let you down!' I ran through that speech over and over in my head as I did my homework, trembling from the adrenaline rush I was getting.

It was at that moment that Dad walked in. "Hey, girls! How was your day?"

"Um, it was pretty good, but Dad, we have a visitor that would like to talk to you…" I choked out, suddenly getting the feeling that Dad wouldn't let me go.

"Oh really?" he inquired, raising his eyebrows and tousling my hair after setting down all his stuff.

"Yeah," I gulped. "He's in the living room talking with Mom." Dad gave me the eye.

"It's not one of your teachers come to tell us you're failing, is it?" he asked, a hard edge to his voice.

"No, Dad, a far cry from that…"

"And it's not some boy come to tell us you wanna get married, is it?" I gasped in shock.

"Daddy! Of course not! I don't like anybody that way and you know it! Besides, I'm only fifteen!" I exclaimed. My dad smiled then.

"I'm just teasing, Jenn! Come on, let's go." He walked into the living room and stopped short, and then I knew he'd seen Captain Planet.

* * *

"So," my dad said several hours later. My mom was in the kitchen, making dinner. "You really want my daughter to do this?"

"Only if you're willing to let her come. I won't say that I feel that she should come because it's not my place," Cap replied.

"Darn straight it's not!" my dad growled.

"Daddy!" I exclaimed sharply, appalled by his behavior, "He didn't mean anything by it! In fact, I think it shows that he means well by the fact that he actually came to ask you if I could go!" My dad straightened up a little.

"You've got a point, Jenn," he agreed, smiling a little. "Sorry, Mr. Planet."

"Please, call me Cap, everyone does," he said. "And there is no need to apologize. If I had a daughter, I'd probably be reacting the same way. You know, all the Planeteers ARE like sons and daughters to me. I look after them and care for them as I would children of my own. And your daughter would be just like them. I would watch out for her and take care of her. And besides, I only mean this to be temporary. Maybe someday, when she's older, she'll be a permanent addition to the group, but for now, we only need her for a few months until after Linka has had her baby and can come on missions again." He looked my dad in the eyes so Dad would be able to see how serious he was. "I swear, I won't let anything happen to Jennie. I will keep a special eye on her and protect her. Eventually, she will learn how to use the ring she will be taking over to protect herself." My dad seemed to ponder this for a moment. Then he turned to me and looked me in the eyes.

"You really want this, don't you, Jenn?" he asked softly, seeming kind of sad. I had used my speech on him two hours ago. I smiled a little and nodded slightly.

"Yes, Daddy, I do. I really do," I replied. He seemed to search my face a little bit, seeming to think some more. Then he sighed.

"All right, Jenn, you can go. But I want some concessions from you and Cap here," he said.

"Oh, anything, Daddy!"

"One, you have to wait two weeks till the end of the nine weeks and you will spend the first few days of the break with us, getting packed and just spending some time with us."

"Done," I agreed.

"Two, you have to email us every single day or at least once a week and let us know what's going on! Your mother and I will worry if we don't hear from you often!"

"I'll see that she does that, Mr. White," Cap agreed.

"Three, you will keep up with your schoolwork just as you promised. We will work something out with the principal and your teachers so that this will work."

"Absolutely, Dad."

"And four… that you will come back as soon as you are no longer needed. I'm only agreeing to this because it's temporary. I want you back as soon as possible!" I smiled at him and hugged him.

"Of course, Dad, I wouldn't stay away forever," I agreed, still hugging him. I pulled away and looked at him. "Thank you, Daddy. I love you," I said, reaching up and laying a kiss on my dad's cheek. At that moment, Mom came in.

"Guys, dinner is ready," she announced, "Are you hungry?" As I nodded, Cap stood.

"Thank you for your hospitality, but I really should be going now. I need to get back to the other Planeteers. And Mr. White, Gaia and I thank you very much for the sacrifice that you are making by agreeing to send your daughter with me." Dad nodded, and I could tell this hurt him. I knew he would miss me. I pushed that thought away, as I really didn't want to change my mind after wanting this so badly. After all, I would be working for a good cause. Cap shook my hand and my Dad's. "All right, Jennie, I'll be back in two and a half weeks to get you and take you to Hope Island with me."

"Sounds good, Cap," I agreed.

"Remember, the power is yours!" he cried as he disappeared. Mom came over and kissed me and Dad.

"Come on, Jenn, I made your favorite," she said, going back into the dining room, followed by me and my dad.

* * *

Before I knew it, the two weeks had passed. I spent the next three days packing and spending time with my family. Soon I was packed and it was the Planeteers' scheduled arrival date. My dad had given me a new laptop and transferred all my files to the computer. His reasoning behind it, I knew, was so that I would have no excuse for not keeping in touch. Either way, I was thrilled to have the computer.

Suddenly, the Geocruiser landed outside our house and the Planeteers piled out and knocked on our door. I hugged my parents and sisters goodbye, a lump suddenly forming in my throat. Though I was excited for this chance to be on my own, and the chance to do my own thing without my parents' supervision, I knew that I was very much going to miss them.

I went to the door and opened it. Wheeler, Linka, Ma-Ti, Kwame, Gi, and Cap were all there. "Hello, Jennie!" Cap said in greeting.

"Hello, Cap, it's good to see you again!" I replied. I looked back at Linka. She looked very tired. "Would you all like to come in for a moment? We've got water, lemonade, iced tea," I offered. They all looked at each other and then at Linka, who shrugged.

"All right, Jennie, thank you," she agreed. The group filed inside. Mom and Dad headed for the fridge to get the drinks out.

"While you guys rest for a moment, I'll help Jennie get her stuff out to the Geocruiser," Cap said. He picked up my three suitcases while I grabbed my backpack and my duffel bag and we headed out.

"So, Cap, out of all the young people that you could have picked to be a Planeteer, why did you pick me?" I inquired as he placed the suitcases in the cargo area of the Geocruiser. He looked at me and smiled, holding his hands out for the bags I held.

"Because Gaia and I saw that you were already doing everything you can to be a Planeteer and to help people," he replied gently as I handed him my bags, and he closed the door before we headed back. "That was the biggest thing Gaia and I saw and liked about you that made us want to choose you- your absolute willingness to help others. You get true and pure joy from helping others, and helping people is a large part of being a Planeteer. The entire purpose of being a Planeteer is to make the Earth a better and safer place for everyone. The spirit of self-sacrifice isn't exactly prevalent in the world today; so when Gaia and I found you, it was like excitement over finding a needle in a haystack, or a rare gem in a sea of fakes. When we realized that you truly loved helping others, we knew you were a good choice for a Planeteer." By now we were back at the front door and we let ourselves in and joined the others for a brief talk and some refreshments.

An hour later, when everyone was rested, it was time for us to go. According to the Planeteers, we had a three-hour flight ahead of us. I stood and hugged my sisters and parents goodbye once more, giving each a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, guys," I sniffled, a tear making its way down either cheek. I hugged my parents one last time. "I'm going to miss you all so much. I'll be back in two and a half weeks to take exams, and I'll see you then. I'll return every two weeks after that to make up the tests I miss. Don't worry about me, Mom and Dad; I'll be perfectly fine except for the homesickness." I kissed them again before I turned around and rejoined Cap so that I could leave before I changed my mind and decided to stay.

I got in the Geocruiser, while Cap remained outside. "I have to go, Planeteers. Why don't you get to know the newest member of the group on the flight there?" He jumped into the air. "The power…"

"Wait, Captain Planet!" Linka called. She smiled reassuringly, though somewhat sadly, at me as she removed her ring and passed it to me, allowing me sufficient time to put it on my finger. "As of now, I take my maternity leave," she said. I smiled at her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Linka, I'll take good care of it," I assured her. We took our seats and Cap started over.

"The power is YOURS!" he shouted, disappearing as a blue beam of light made its way to my hand for the first time. I waved goodbye to my family one last time as the Geocruiser lifted off and Gi directed the craft toward Hope Island.

I was on my own now. And yet at the same time, I realized that I wasn't. I had Cap and Gaia, who would care for me the same way my parents did, supporting me, helping me, and teaching me. And I had the Planeteers, too, whom I hoped would become like brothers and sisters to me. They would help me and teach me in a similar manner to that of Cap and Gaia. It would take some getting used to, as I was used to being the oldest, but somehow I didn't mind. I was grateful to have them, and pleased to be able to know them in person. So when Wheeler turned his head toward me and asked me a question about myself, I merely smiled and answered.

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Okay, next chapter will be called 'Getting to Know You'. It's not written yet. Because of the unpopular category, I will only require 2 reviews for an update within 2 weeks. So, R&R to inspire me. Chapter 3 will be boring for me to write, so I will need your encouragement!


	4. Chapter 3: Getting to Know You

Author's Note: SO sorry for the long delay... I thought I'd posted this chapter already! It took me AGES to finish it and I thought I'd posted this thing at least six months ago. Also, I must confess I've gotten caught up in other stories I'm currently weaving, including two of the four sequels I'm planning for this story. (Yes, I'm planning a five-story series... and so far story five is proving the most fun to write!

So, without further ado... CHAPTER 3!

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Chapter 3: Getting to Know You

"So, Jennica… or can I call you Jenn?" Wheeler inquired.

"You can call me just about anything you want, Wheeler," I replied. "I go by Jennica, Jenn, Jennie, and any number of other names."

"All right, Jenn," he said as Gi put the craft on autopilot and they all turned to look at me, "we all have a few questions for you, since you're new. In return, you may ask us any questions you like. Fair?"

I nodded in agreement. "That seems fair enough."

"All right, then. How old are you?" he asked me.

"I'm fifteen, but I'll be sixteen in two months."

"What is your favorite animal?" Gi inquired, taking her turn.

"That's a bit of a difficult question, Gi… I love almost all animals, except spiders and insects, which scare me. But I have to honestly say that I love all cats, whether they are wild or domestic. I have three at home, but one is my family's, and the other two belong to my aunt and grandma."

"What are their names?"

"Our cat is named Willoughby, and Grandma's cat is named Callie, and my aunt's cat is named Trilby, but I call her Cuddlebug because she likes to try to cuddle with us after we've gone to bed for the night!" Everyone laughed.

"Do you have any other pets?" Ma-Ti inquired.

"Yes, we have a dog named Snickers, a cockatiel named Roxie, and a fish named Phineas, but we all call him Phinny…" We all laughed again, but then Linka looked at me in interest.

"You said you have a bird. Do you let her out of her cage often?" she asked.

"Yeah, kind of. The only problem with doing that is that she likes to poop on everything when we let her out of the cage. Usually, when she needs fresh air, Mom or Dad will take her cage outside and set it on the back porch with the back door open so we can hear her."

"What is your favorite plant?" Kwame inquired.

"I don't know. I like all plants! I love roses, carnations… wait a second, I forgot… I _do_ have a favorite flower- the snapdragon. That is my absolute favorite flower because it's so pretty and it comes in so many different colors!"

"Okay, here's a silly one for you," Wheeler began, grinning. "Why do YOU think the chicken crossed the road?" The others rolled their eyes and sighed.

"Wheeler, why must you ask everyone that question?" Linka groaned.

"That's okay, I don't mind answering that question," I assured her. I turned to look at Wheeler and with a completely straight face, I said: "The chicken crossed the road because he was trying to escape from the Chick-fil-a employee."

The entire group burst out laughing. Wheeler looked so surprised at my unexpected answer, no one could help it! After a moment, he too burst into laughter, and he clapped me on the back.

"Welcome to the group, Jenn! You're all right in my book!" he shouted, and the others quickly voiced their agreement. It felt so good to be accepted by them! I knew that I would be happy in the coming months, and I made a firm resolve to do my best so that their opinion of me would not change.

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Dumb ending, I know, and I know this story is particularly short, but I kinda ran out of ideas for the chapter... it's honestly largely filler, but I thought this chapter might provide a little insight into who Jennie really is! Please review!


	5. Chapter 4: Arrival at Hope Island

Author's Note: Wow, two updates in less than a week... I must really love you guys! XD

Okay, so... I updated Chapter 2... there's just a few minor edits to it, things that I think make the chapter flow a little better now! Also, I'm currently in the process of planning out the remaining chapters. I plan to have at least twenty chapters for each book of the series, and I'm currently planning 6 books. (Yes, I added a sixth book to the plan... OMG!) And Book 6 will be the only one that is NOT from Jennie's POV... OMG! Anyway, once I have the chapters for all six books planned out (which should take maybe a week, I'll get started on chapter 5! In the meantime...

On to Chapter 4!

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Chapter 4: Arrival at Hope Island

After a couple hours of more chatter, Gi landed the craft carefully. We had arrived. As the other Planeteers disembarked, I pulled my legs up so that my chin could rest easily on my knees. I was suddenly very scared. What if this didn't work out? What if I ended up getting captured on a mission, or even worse, what if I managed to get myself killed? And what if…

What if the Planeteers and I didn't get along? I had looked up to them and admired them for so long. Sure, they were friendly on the way over, but what if that changed as they got to know me better? What if Gaia and Captain Planet decided that I wasn't a good choice after all? What if they regretted choosing me to be Linka's substitute? I couldn't bear letting them down. And failing now would affect the entire planet…

A moment later I was drawn from my thoughts by a familiar face. "Jennie," Ma-Ti whispered gently, "Do not be afraid. Gaia and Captain Planet are very rarely wrong, and my every instinct tells me this will work out for the best. And you do not have to worry about gaining our favor. You have done so simply by agreeing to come." He smiled at me and held out his hand to help me out of my seat. When I still didn't move, Ma-Ti held his ring close to his head and whispered, "Heart." Suddenly a rush of calming images flooded my mind, and I instantly felt better. I looked up at him, smiling, and let my legs go, taking his hand and using it to pull myself up. He kept hold of my hand as he led me from the craft, and I stepped into the bright sunlight. The other four Planeteers stood there, smiling warmly at me as I stepped delicately out of the flying machine.

"Welcome to Hope Island, Jennie!" Kwame exclaimed excitedly, and the rest of the Planeteers followed suit.

I looked around at the island that was to be my home. I knew very little about Hope Island before today, except that it was beautiful, and the second I actually saw it, I knew that I'd been wrong. To say it was beautiful was a _gross_ understatement!

The sunlight sparkled on the sea water that I could see several meters ahead of me. I knew I would spend quite a bit of time in that water, as one of my favorite activities was swimming. The trees surrounded the clearing where the huts resided, trees of all types: palm trees, boxwoods, weeping willows, and other types of trees all growing together. It was amazing that some of the trees that I could identify actually grew in the same place. Birds flew across the sky in bright flashes of color, singing at the tops of their lungs. Behind the largest of the huts, which I supposed was the common hut, I could see glass panels on a metal frame- Kwame's greenhouse, I was sure. Flowers blossomed all around, some planted in front of each door, adding a splash of color to the wooden frames of the huts. I could see a little bit through the trees to where a volleyball net had been set up. I could see stacks of lumber, clearly recycled, sitting in a pile next to one of the larger residential huts, one that appeared to be undergoing renovations. As I listened more closely, I could hear the sounds of running water and of leaves rustling in the very gentle breeze that swept over the island, which was currently at the perfect temperature. I was comfortable without even needing a jacket!

"Well, Jenn, what do ya think, huh? Is it amazing or what?" Wheeler murmured, his voice soft and happy, proud of his home.

"It sure is, Wheeler… It's magnificent!" I cried, stepping forward and continuing to look around in awe. I knew that I would be doing some exploring soon!

"Wheeler, why don't you take Linka to your hut to rest? The rest of us can help Jennie with her bags," Gi suggested, looking at Linka who was leaning heavily on Wheeler as though she would fall asleep any moment.

"All right, little mermaid," Wheeler agreed, sliding a supporting arm around Linka's waist. "Come on, babe, let's get you to bed; you can get to know Jennie better when you're rested."

"Da… okay, Yankee," Linka agreed in a tired voice, turning with her husband and making her way to the hut I had noticed with the lumber.

"Poor Linka," Ma-Ti murmured worriedly as he turned to the Geocruiser's cargo hold and opened it.

"She's been awfully tired lately," Gi explained as she pulled out one of my suitcases. "The doctor says it's because of the way the baby's growing, that it's using up all her energy, but it's been really hard on her."

"She usually has to nap two or three times a day just to keep up with the rest of us," Kwame added, glancing over his shoulder toward the door I had just heard closing. As he and Ma-Ti each picked up a suitcase, I reached in and grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder before grabbing my duffel bag. Kwame closed the door of the cargo hold and I followed behind the three of them to a rather spacious hut about ten meters from where we had been standing. Gi opened the door, smiling at me.

"Here's your new room, Jennie," she said encouragingly, holding her free hand out toward the door and encouraging me to enter. I did so, and then I couldn't help but smile as I glanced around the room. The full-sized bed had been pushed against the wall so that the headboard rested directly under one of the windows. The coverlet was a pale blue with many multicolored flowers dotting it. Four thick and fluffy pillows rested at the head of the bed, housed inside sky blue pillowcases. On the same wall about two feet away from the bed sat a dresser with six drawers in it, three on each side. On the top of the dresser, which reached halfway up the wall, an alarm clock and a small lamp sat side-by side, and on the other end of the dresser sat a pair of bookends. I knew these would come in handy later, as I dearly loved to read.

On the adjacent wall, next to the dresser and under the other window, which I knew would face directly into the sun in the morning, rested a wooden desk. The desk had three drawers in it on the right and left sides and a long, very shallow drawer in the center of the desk. I knew the shallow drawer was for pens and pencils, and I would be able to keep my writing notebooks and other supplies in the deeper drawers. Off to the right side of the desk was a power outlet, one that I knew connected to the generator that powered all of the huts. I would be able to use this desk to work on the laptop that I had received from my dad and to write stories.

A door on the third wall led to a private bathroom, complete with a bathtub. In this bathroom another door opened to reveal a closet. A few shelves on the top could be used for storing bath towels, and a rod that had been suspended just under the shelves would be the perfect place for me to hang the few dresses I had brought with me. A few bottles sat on the edge of the tub and to the right side of the sink. Upon closer inspection, I realized that these bottles contained homemade soaps and shampoos that the Planeteers had made themselves using environmentally friendly methods. Under the sink, a pair of cupboards revealed a few rolls of toilet paper (made from recycled paper of course!) and some extra bottles of the homemade toiletries. On the left side of the sink was a little container to keep my toothbrush in, as well as a cup that I could use for rinsing my mouth after brushing my teeth. Upon examination of the mirror, I discovered that it could be opened to reveal a medicine cabinet, the perfect place to store my ADHD medication and my inhaler, as well as a few other little things I had brought with me that were not medicine-related.

I emerged into the main room a few moments later and noticed a small table that rested in the corner of the room between the main door and the bed, a table that I had overlooked in my previous examination of the room. It was covered with a bit of pale blue cloth, and had a vase filled with silk flowers. In front of the vase, a picture frame sat, waiting anxiously for me to put in a picture of my family, the very one I had brought with me.

"So, what do you think, Jennie?" Kwame inquired, smiling happily at me.

"I think… that this is perfect!" I exclaimed, feeling very pleased with my new living space. My room at home hadn't been this spacious, and I _definitely_ loved the idea of having my own bathroom!

"Well then, we'll leave you to unpack your things," Ma-Ti smiled.

"Dinner will be at 5:30 in the common hut. Gaia will be joining us tonight; of course, she doesn't need to eat, but she wants to meet you pretty badly," Gi added, smiling, before the three of them filed out. I smiled and lifted one of the suitcases onto the bed, opening it and beginning to transfer my things into the three drawers.

Once I had finished unpacking, I still had a few minutes left before I had to meet the others in the common room for dinner, so I pulled out my laptop, plugged it in, and powered it up. My heart nearly broke when I noticed that my dad had already sent me an email; according to my watch, he had sent it about thirty minutes after I left. I sent him back a quick email, letting him know that I had arrived safely on the island and was already settled into my new room. And suddenly, at that moment, I felt grown-up, more grown-up than I'd ever felt before in my life. I was no longer dependent upon my parents. I had someone else looking after me now. And though I knew I'd get used to it… I wasn't so sure that I liked the feeling...

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Okay, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter... it's only slightly filler, but I thought that having Jennie describe her new surroundings would help you guys to picture things in her new home! Please review!


	6. Chapter 5: Settling In

Gosh, guys, I'm really sorry... I'd been sure I'd uploaded chapter 5, it's been finished and sitting on my computer for months now! Seriously, though, those of you who are watching this story need to help keep me on track! It's been very nearly a year since I posted Chapter 4! Anyway, last real "filler" chapter before things begin to get interesting, but it'll be another chapter after that before things really take off. And trust me, I know all of this "blah" is kind of boring, but it's important to set up lots of things that will affect the rest of the story, especially Jennie's relationships with the other Planeteers.

**For those of you who did not notice, I updated chapter 4 a bit. I do not remember all of the changes but there is a mildly important change at the end.**

Oh, and one more update... I've currently maxed out the number of books in this series that I'm willing to write at 10 books. Things are gonna get really crazy at some point (about 3 books from now), so be watchful! The good news with that is, I've pretty well figured out what happens in all of the books through book 7. I don't want to end with book 7 because, suffice to say, there will be more story to be told after book 7.

So, without further ado, a chapter almost a year overdue! (Yeah, yeah, I know it rhymes, shut up! ;) )

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Chapter 5: Settling In

As the clock in my room beeped to notify me that it was time to meet the Planeteers in the common hut, I began to grow nervous for reasons I could not explain. I was excited to be here, to be in this new place and to be servicing my planet in such a way. Getting to do it with a group of people I strongly admired was just a bonus in my eyes.

I wrung my hands together and stood shakily, taking a moment to collect myself. I moved to the bathroom to get a glimpse of the mirror, picking up my brush and running it swiftly through my hair a few times. Then I separated the long mass into two lengths, carefully splitting each into three sections and braiding them, wrapping a hair tie around the end of either braid. When I was finished, I took a washcloth and carefully scrubbed my face before washing my hands. I wanted to look my best for my first meal on Hope Island.

Five minutes later, I emerged from my hut, feeling refreshed by my cleansing ritual and ready to face the Planeteers in the common room. I walked to the hut, my heart racing faster with every step. "Gosh, Jennie," I silently scolded myself, "of everything you could be scared of this is what scares you? Pull yourself together, girl… you're just going to meet up with friends. There's nothing to be afraid of!" I drew myself up so that I stood straight and then reached for the doorknob and cautiously turned it, pushing it open. Six smiling faces met me, five that I had seen before, one of them new to me although I knew instinctively who the bright blue eyes and long, shiny black hair belonged to.

I moved forward, shutting the door behind me. "Welcome to Hope Island," the sixth figure intoned in a soothing voice that caused me to smile and forget my anxiety, instantly feeling welcome in this strange new place.

"Thank you, Gaia," I replied, and upon seeing her return my greeting with a smile, I knew that my guess was correct. I knew that I would learn much from this kindly spirit.

"Well, Jennie, dinner is ready," Gi exclaimed happily, her eyes bright with excitement as they led me to the table, where six chairs sat, waiting for their occupants to take their places. We all sat down and the food was served, and I knew instantly that my mother had sent them a recipe.

"Ranch chicken!" I cried excitedly when I saw the dish. It was a favorite of mine; chicken breasts cooked with ranch dressing, monterrey jack cheese, bacon, and diced tomatoes on top. There was also a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes as well as corn on the cob and a delicious looking fruit salad.

Kwame laughed. "Your mother sent us a few of your favorite recipes so that you would be able to have them on occasion while you are here with us," he explained. "We asked her for one you would like so that we could plan it for your first night here."

The food was wonderful, and each of the Planeteers agreed that the dish was excellent, that it should certainly make a repeat appearance. When we had finished with the dinner, Gi disappeared into the kitchen as the rest of us talked. After several minutes she came back out, bringing out two small plates, each holding a small serving of strawberry shortcake, my favorite dessert! She set one dish in front of me and the other in front of Linka before going back into the kitchen to get the rest. Soon we were all eating the delectable treat.

"I see that you like fruit, Jennie," Ma-Ti commented, noting the way I savored the strawberries in the shortcake, as well as the comparatively large portion of fruit salad that I had taken earlier.

"Yeah..." I replied, blushing slightly. "It's my one of my favorite food groups... I love meat, fruit, and bread!" We finished eating our meal and Wheeler glanced at a piece of paper tacked to the wall near his seat.

"Looks like I'm on cleanup duty," he remarked. He stood and began collecting the plates as I looked over at it. I was seated close enough to it that I could read it easily. It appeared to be a chore schedule, delineating the week's chores and whose turn it was to complete them each day. I looked at the others, who were handing their plates to Wheeler one by one.

"Why isn't my name on this chore list?" I asked. All the Planeteers looked at me in surprise. I felt my cheeks warming a little from all the attention, but I quickly buried it.

"Jennie, you are a guest here," Gi explained. "You do not have to help us with the chores."

I frowned at that. "I may be a guest, but I'm used to doing chores at home, so that doesn't bother me. And besides, I came here to help, not to sit around all day doing nothing to help around the island. I'm a part of the team for the next several months, and I expect to be treated like any other resident of this island."

Ma-Ti smiled. "I think that is a more than fair request, Jennie," he agreed. He turned to the others. "We want her to feel at home here, do we not? Perhaps part of that would be allowing her to help with the chores." He paused for a moment, then added, "How about this: a compromise. Jennie, we will give you a few weeks to get used to Hope Island and your new schedule. After all, you'll need to undergo lots of training with Linka before you'll be ready to go on a mission with us. It won't be long before Linka will be unable to do many of the chores around here because of the pregnancy, and when that happens, you may take over her chores." He looked around at everyone. "Can everyone agree to that?"

I nodded, smiling. "If the rest of you are okay with it, I can live with that."

Linka's lips turned into a slight frown, but she quickly put a smile on her face and agreed, and Gi, Kwame, and Wheeler also gave their consent to the arrangement. As Wheeler carried the plates into the kitchen, I followed him to watch, wondering if their method of dishwashing was different than the one I used at home. I felt I could learn many tips to save the Earth from them.

Wheeler set the stack of dishes on the counter beside the sink, and then he plugged up one side of the sink and filled it with warm water and a little dishwashing soap. Once it was about halfway full, he shut off the water and then grabbed a plate, submerging it in the water and grabbing a cloth nearby, running it over the plate carefully, scrubbing a little harder in some places than others, then he turned the water on a bit to give the plate a good rinsing. "I'll tell you what, Jenn," he said, smiling at me. "If you really want to help, why don't you grab that cloth right there and dry the dishes for me?" I grinned back and nodded, picking up the cloth and accepting the plate from him, drying it carefully before setting it on the counter, thus beginning a new stack for clean dishes.

In no time at all, all the dishes had been cleaned and Wheeler showed me where all the dishes were kept and told me that if I ever wanted a snack or anything, I was more than welcome to make one as long as I cleaned up when I was finished. As we finished putting the dishes away, Gi poked her head in. "Hey guys, we're gonna play a board game, so we're taking a vote: Scrabble, Monopoly, or Life?" I grinned at her.

"Not Monopoly," Wheeler said. "Normally I'd vote Monopoly, but that game takes forever, and I'm sure Jenn will want to get to bed soon since she's had such a long day…" He turned to me. "Which one do you wanna play, Jenn?"

"I personally love The Game of Life," I replied, smiling brightly.

"That's what everyone else said, too," Gi agreed, smiling. "Life it is, then!"

A few minutes later, we were sitting back around the now clean kitchen table. Now that the dinner was over, Gaia had excused herself to the Crystal Matrix, leaving us down to just six players. I allowed each of the original Planeteers to choose their favorite cars first, and was not surprised that each picked up a car that somewhat matched their powers. Kwame took the green one, Wheeler took orange, Gi took blue, Linka took white, and Ma-Ti picked up the red car. As the only one left, I selected the yellow car, the only one of the six left, and picked up a little pink peg, putting it in my car and placing my car at the beginning of the college path. Wheeler, Gi, and Ma-Ti had chosen the career path, and each selected career and salary cards. Wheeler drew entertainer and made $50,000 per pay day, Gi got artist and made $60,000, and Ma-Ti only got $40,000, but he got to be the athlete. Kwame got to go first, and spun a six, moving his car down the college path.

At the end of the college path, Linka, Kwame and I each picked our cards. Linka opted to be an accountant earning $90,000 and Kwame was a doctor making $100,000, which left me happily selecting the card labeled "Teacher" as my career, and I picked $80,000 for my salary card. Gi smiled as she saw the wide smile on my face as I collected my career card, placing the others back on the small pile without hesitation.

"Do you want to be a teacher, Jennie?" she asked, her voice warm and encouraging. I nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes! I love children and I love school. I've tutored a few students and I love the feeling I get every time I help a student figure something out!" I replied. "I always try to get the teacher card in this game."

The game continued, and I was mildly surprised when the teasing began. When Wheeler crossed the "Get Married" space, he picked up Linka's car and pushed it next to his. "We'll need two cars since we have separate jobs," he explained, laughing as Linka threw a small sweet at him. But I saw Linka smiling back and knew it was all right. Soon the car was back where it should have been and Wheeler retrieved a new pink peg, frowning mockingly the whole time. "No one else could ever hold my heart the way you do, babe," he murmured to Linka, winking at her and planting a quick kiss on her cheek. Linka turned beet red and, grinning widely, hid her face with her hands.

"Da, I know, Yankee," she replied softly.

Only a few minutes later, when Linka's car crossed the "Buy a House" space and she drew the Victorian house, Wheeler fake gagged at the sight of the pink and purple mansion. "Man, I wouldn't mind having a mansion, but that is way too girly for the likes of me. There's no way I'm letting our son live in such a girly house!" Again, Linka threw a sweet at him, but this time it entered his mouth and he stared at her in a shocked amusement.

"Be quiet, Yankee. Besides, we do not know if the baby is a boy or not," she replied cheekily. And then about a minute later when Wheeler himself crossed that space, he drew the "split-level" house and each of the Planeteers laughed as he grimaced at the card and dramatically stated, "On second thought, that girly house is looking pretty good right about now…"

As the game progressed, each of us laughed at the antics happening around the table. Kwame laughed when he landed on the "Plant a Tree" square and happily collected his Life tile, and Linka grinned widely and held her hand out expectantly every time Wheeler landed on a "Taxes Due" square.

Each of the others seemed to spin much higher than I did, so I was far behind the others throughout much of the game. When I finally made it to the "Buy a House" square, I pulled the log cabin card out of the stack and smiled again. By the time I'd made it to retirement, I'd had six children, landing on two "Baby Boy" squares, the "Twins" square, and the "Adopt Twins" square. The group of us had laughed when we realized there were no other cars left for me to get to put the new twins in, and then Ma-Ti arose and dug around in a junk drawer to produce three old, slightly dusty cars from an old set they had. The yellow one from the previous set was among them and I selected it so that the two cars would match and there would be no confusion. Wheeler, Linka, and Ma-Ti had each managed to land on the square for sending your kids to college, and I collected a total of $400,000 from the three of them. Another round of laughter was shared when Kwame, who hadn't landed on any spaces for children, managed to land on the space marked "You're a Grandparent!"

When I finally placed my car at Millionaire Estates, all of us counted up our money. I had managed to collect the most money, so I collected my four Life tiles, but surprisingly enough, when the Life tiles were added in, Kwame came in first place, while I followed behind with a close second.

"Well, I think we should head off to bed now," Wheeler suggested. "After all, tomorrow is gonna be a big day for all of us, since Jennie needs to start her training."

I nodded, my head spinning slightly at the idea of the physical conditioning sessions and ring training sessions I knew I'd soon be experiencing at the hands of my new brothers and sisters. But deep down, I knew it would all work out for the best, despite any worry I might currently be feeling.

Within a few minutes, the game was put away, and the group of us separated, each going to our respective huts. As I changed into my pajamas, I smiled at the thought of spending tomorrow with people I so respected and admired. It was thoughts like these that made me think every moment of homesickness would be worth it, even though I missed my family and my home. All of it would work out in the end, as long as I remembered that I was with friends. I checked my email one last time before shutting down my laptop, slipping under the covers, and drifting into a deep, peaceful sleep.

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By the way guys, just a little side note to anyone who's interested... the Planeteers were playing a slightly older version of The Game of Life than the new versions out now. I based their game playing experiences off of the version I have at home as opposed to the newer versions, so the likely explanation for Kwame shooting into first is that his Life Tiles were simply more valuable as a whole than Jennie's, and it's also possible he also had a few more than her, even with the extra four she was to pick up at the end.

Please leave a review on your way out! Chapter 6 will be a while in coming, but I promise to post it when it's done instead of waiting six or seven months this time! Bye now~!


	7. Chapter 6: Training

Author's Note: All right, I'm actually feeling like I'm on track with this story for the time being... This chapter is the last real... "filler" chapter before the real fun starts... but even this chapter is important for reasons you'll see starting in the next couple of chapters. It's important for setting up several major conflicts. Anyway, without further ado, chapter 6!

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Chapter 6: Training

I gritted my teeth, my eyes tightly closed as Linka's voice barely managed to penetrate my concentration. "Remember, Jennie, the power of the rings is controlled by thought. Calling their names simply activates the rings. You have to concentrate, focus on what it is you want the power to do. Then when you have it, call the name." I focused all my mental energy on to the ring, willing it to do what I wanted: lift and fling a small rock just a few feet.

"Wind!" I called when I believed I was ready, but instead I found myself lifted into the air and spun around a few times as a small cyclone formed around me. As soon as I retracted my thought, the cyclone ended and I fell, frustrated, into the sand beneath me. "Come on!" I yelled out, standing up to shake the sand out of my pants and tears filling my eyes. We'd been training for three weeks now, and I still hadn't managed to gain control of the ring. Oh, I could certainly activate it, but it still seemed completely random as to what the ring would choose to do with its power. Angry with myself, I pulled off the ring and tucked it carefully inside the one small zipper pocket on my shorts, zipping it closed so it wouldn't get lost and at the same time hiding it from view. I didn't even want to look at the ring.

Linka sighed. "All right, Jennie, I can see you are getting tired of the practicing. Why don't you go to see the others and do some more physical training?" she suggested. "But just one last thing to think about before we try again tomorrow: you are trying too hard. It does not take quite that much effort to control the ring." I nodded in acceptance before running off to find Ma-Ti. Today, it was his turn to give me my physical training.

Since my arrival on Hope Island, I had woken up at 7 each morning to eat breakfast with the others. Then I spent an hour with Linka, working on the ring training. After that, or sometimes even after half that time if I got frustrated too quickly, I would go find whoever was on the roster to do my physical training with me, helping them finish their assigned chores before going out to train. Kwame, Gi, Ma-Ti, and Wheeler took turns on that job, and also took turns with my ring training on days when Linka's pregnancy made her too ill or tired to train me. We would work on physical conditioning for another hour or so, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on how strenuous the workout was and how long it took me to tire. Afterwards, I was free to explore the island until lunch. Following lunch, I returned to my own hut to study and work on my assignments until an hour before dinner was ready. That hour before dinner was spent communicating with my family back on the mainland. After dinner I helped clean up before settling down with the other Planeteers to watch TV or play a game.

Today I found Ma-Ti hard at work making sure the den was in order. I immediately went to look for a dust cloth and began dusting off the hard surfaces, like the top of the television and the tables. Ma-Ti struck up a lively conversation, and soon we were both laughing at each other's silly jokes. As we moved on to the windows, which were washed once a week, the conversation turned slightly somber, and Ma-Ti began to tell me more about his childhood; about losing his parents, about his grandfather the shaman, about the customs of his people. Each of the Planeteers seemed to be opening up to me more, telling me stories that I knew the others had been told before because the storyteller trusted his or her friends so much, and I felt pleased to know that they had begun to trust me to such an extent. I had learned of Gi's encounter with a dolphin back in Asia, about Wheeler's abusive father, and Kwame's life one step ahead of poverty in Africa. The only Planeteer who had not yet opened up to me was Linka. I somehow sensed that Linka did not trust me, and was deeply saddened by this fact, as it looked like her heart would not be easily touched.

As Ma-Ti and I left the hut, the windows so clean that it looked as if the glass did not even exist, Ma-Ti commented, "You were earlier today than I expected, Jennie."

Suddenly the memories of this morning came flooding back and I sighed, suddenly unhappy again. "Yeah… the training isn't going so well… I don't understand how it could be so hard to control that ring!"

Ma-Ti chuckled softly as he stopped walking and turned to face me. "Jennie, the ring is not what needs to be controlled. The power doesn't come from the ring; the ring simply serves as a conduit for the power. No, as Captain Planet always says, 'The power is yours.'" My eyes widened as I remembered the words. "You fail because you are focusing your control on the wrong place. You are trying to control the ring, when you should really be trying to control yourself, your own power." He smiled and laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Jennie, you are a smart, brave girl. I know deep in my heart that you will find the key to unlocking the power within you. Even if you think you cannot find it now, when you need it, the abilities will come to you. Now, I believe we were about to do some physical training!" His winning smile and the distraction of the physical training took my mind off of his words for the time being, and for the next two hours we worked on building up my endurance. As we finished that day's training, Kwame came up to us and smiled.

"I see you are progressing very well in your physical conditioning, Jennie," he observed amiably. "Actually, I was hoping to persuade you to come and help me in the garden for a little while. I know that you like gardening, and I think it would be a good idea for you to take a break every now and then. You don't want to burn yourself out. Besides, I would like the company."

I smiled. I had had many opportunities to spend time alone with Wheeler, Gi and Ma-Ti outside of training over the past few weeks: Gi helped me with my swimming, as I enjoyed it but was not very good, Wheeler had invited me to watch several of our favorite movies, and Ma-Ti had taken me around the island to show me many of its animal inhabitants, as well as making himself available to talk any time I needed to talk about something. Kwame and Linka, however, I had had little opportunity to spend time with outside of training. I already mentioned that I suspected Linka did not trust me, providing a reason behind our lack of communication. However, when it came to Kwame, we simply had little chance to spend time together. Very often Kwame was working in his garden or in the greenhouse or simply taking a little exercise jogging around the island. He seemed to largely prefer solitude in these activities, and of course I did not want to intrude if he didn't want me there.

"I would love to help, Kwame," I replied happily, and bade goodbye to Ma-Ti before heading off to help Kwame weed his garden.

And so my various activities left me little time to dwell on Ma-Ti's words, to try to unlock their meaning until after lunch, when I settled down in my hut to try to complete my studies for the day. Instead of being able to work, Ma-Ti's words distracted me, hindering my work for half an hour, after which, with a frustrated sigh, I shoved my math book away from me. I had made too many mistakes, and before I could properly focus on my studies, I had to rid my mind of the distraction, which meant in this case that I needed to solve the mystery of Ma-Ti's words.

The hours of pondering did little to help me, and soon I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Dinner is ready," Gi's soft voice murmured. My eyes widened and I turned to face my clock. The time had gone so fast, and I had missed the hour of communication with my family. I nodded and told her I would be there in a moment, my heart sinking as I rose to sit down and log onto the computer. My parents luckily were online, and were very relieved to see that I was all right. I told them that my homework had taken longer than expected- a lie, of course. How could I tell them that things here didn't seem to be working out? That I couldn't gain control of the wind power? That Linka didn't seem to trust me, even though the others were certainly kind to me? I frowned and told them I would return after eating, then logged off and trudged into the common hut to sit down to dinner with the Planeteers. After the meal, during which I was still quite distracted, they invited me to watch a movie with them- my pick tonight. I declined the offer, noticing the worried looks on four of the faces but not really caring, and said I was feeling very tired tonight and simply wanted to retire early, standing and leaving to my hut.

I wrote back and forth to my parents for an hour, to make up for the hour I'd forgotten earlier. Afterwards I changed into my pajamas and slipped under the covers. Feeling quite lonely and dejected, I soon drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I awoke the next morning feeling as if I hadn't slept at all. I opened my weary eyes to find Gi and Ma-Ti standing over me. Gi smiled slightly. "Good morning, Jennie," she said.

I turned to look at the clock, which read 9:31 am. I hadn't slept in this much since long before I came to Hope Island!

"Good morning… I'm sorry I'm late getting up," I said, my voice sounding funny to my ears and my throat feeling very sore as I spoke. I tried to sit up, but Gi reached forward and pushed me back down to the bed with firm hands.

"Jennie, you have a fever… it's very slight, but you should still stay in bed today," she insisted.

"How do you feel, Jennie?" Ma-Ti asked gently.

"My throat hurts a bit… but other than that, I feel perfectly fine," I replied honestly. Ma-Ti smiled.

"I believe I have something that can fix that… I will go and make you some tea. I have some herbs that are good for fevers, and a bit of honey for sweetening should help soothe your throat," he murmured, turning to head back to the common hut.

"I'll tell you what… I'll make up a bed for you on the sofa in the common hut. Then if you need something, one of us will be able to get it for you. You should be back on your feet in no time at all," she explained triumphantly, satisfied that there was nothing really wrong with me. She turned and left, and a few minutes later, she was back. "All right, let's get you moved into the common hut." Soon I was lying on the makeshift bed drinking Ma-Ti's soothing tea and eating a plate of leftovers from breakfast. For as long as I could remember, whenever I got sick, I always seemed to eat more than usual, unless of course it was a stomach bug. Then I didn't want to eat at all. Gi handed me the TV remote and I flipped channels until I it landed on a show I liked, and I settled down to watch the show.

Two and a half hours later, after a few episodes of Reba and an episode of What Not to Wear had come on, I heard my cell phone ring. I glanced up at the calendar and realized it was Saturday and my parents were off work, which explained why the caller id told me it was my parents that were calling at this hour. I flipped the phone open to answer. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jess. Gi emailed us and told us you weren't feeling well, so we thought we'd check up on you!" my mom's soothing voice said through the tiny speaker. I smiled, rolling my eyes slightly. The tea Ma-Ti had given me had worked like a charm, and my throat no longer hurt so much and my temperature was currently normal. After assuring my parents that I was feeling better, I spoke with them for several hours before they had to go, as they had errands to run.

The rest of the day passed rather lazily on my part. By the time dinner rolled around I felt much better and shortly afterward I went to bed, never knowing that it was a good thing that I'd recovered as quickly as I had…

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Keep an eye out for Chapter 7... it's already written but I'm not gonna post it for a little while! ;) Leave a review on your way out, and always remember: "THE POWER IS YOURS!"


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